Subject: [Consim-l] American Civil War (SPI, 1974), part 1
From: "T. Michael Sommers"
Date: Sat, August 4, 2012 1:33 pm
To: "Consim-l"
Priority: Normal
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DESCRIPTION
American Civil War appeared in S&T 43 in 1974. It is a strategic
level game of the Civil War. It covers the entire war in 16 seasonal
turns.
Components are typical for SPI at the time.
Land combat units are interchangeable strength points. There are also
leaders, 4 to each side at most, and for the Union there are naval and
riverine units, and railroad repair units (USMRR).
Land movement is fairly standard, with movement allowances changing
with the seasons. Land units can also move by rail, but only a few
strength points (SP) per side per turn. Both sides also have limited
river transport. Union units can move by sea, again with limits.
A moving force that moves next to an enemy force it outnumbers by 2:1
or more can make the enemy retreat or fight during movement.
Combat is standard, using a differential CRT. In most cases the
differential can be voluntarily reduced to reduce losses. If not
outnumbered 2:1, defenders can retreat before combat.
Land units have a Primary ZOC, which is pretty standard, and a
Secondary ZOC, at a distance of 2 hexes. Units can move through enemy
ZOCs, but they must pay an MP penalty.
Units can build forts, which triple them on defense. Cities have an
intrinsic defense strength, which, once destroyed, never comes back.
Command control rules are harsh. The original rules use a table of
hex-number endings, but I just rolled a 10-sided die for each stack.
The Union starts off with a 60% chance of being out of command
control; the Confederates 40%. Both improve with time. Units out of
command control can't do anything at all. Leaders can help reduce the
chance of being out of command control.
The South starts with one leader, Lee, at level 2 (levels go from 0 to
3). The North gets Farragut, a special leader, also level 2, on turn
2. Otherwise leaders are created when a force inflicts losses on the
other side. Leaders get a promotion after being in (or near) battles
that inflict 3 losses on the enemy (only when attacking for the North).
In summer and autumn, each side suffers attrition, which can be quite
brutal. Small garrisons can be wiped out, leaving vital spots
unguarded.
Supply is crucial. Units must trace a supply line of no more than 5
hexes to a supply source. The 5 hex limit is inclusive of both end
points, and all of the 5 hexes must be clear terrain. That is, if you
are in a swamp or rough terrain, you must either be sitting on a
supply source (or next to a source, when the source is a hexside), or
you are out of supply. Unless you can forage, and only small forces
outside of enemy Primary ZOCs can do so, you die if you are out of
supply.
Ultimate supply sources differ for each side. For the North the
ultimate sources are two railroads leading off the north edge of the
board in Illinois and one in New Jersey. For the South, the ultimate
source is their supply net. From the ultimate sources, every
connecting rail hex and navigable river hexside is a source. The
North can also trace supply by sea for a limited number of strength
points.
The South's supply net not only provides supplies, but also is the key
to victory. The South has a number of supply cities. These connect
by rail and river to form a net or nets. Each city (and thus net) can
support only a limited number of army points, which number varies with
time. Plus, to stay in the war, the South's largest net must be at
least as large as a limit that also varies with time.
The North has 3 USMRR units that can convert or repair Southern rail
lines so the North can use them. Once a rail line is converted, it is
lost to the South forever, even if they recapture it. The same
applies to cities as supply sources.
Geography
Given the importance of the Southern supply net, a description of it
is in order.
The Confederate rail net has several choke points. There are only two
lines that cross the country in the east-west direction. One goes
west from Petersburg, across the Appalachians, through Knoxville, and
then to near Chattanooga. From there, one branch goes west through
Chattanooga and Decatur to Memphis, and another goes south through
Atlanta, Montgomery, and Mobile, then north to Meridian, and then west
through Jackson to Vicksburg.
The other route goes south from Richmond to Wilmington and then to
Charleston (or alternately from Richmond southwest to Columbus and
then to Charleston). From Charleston it goes through Augusta to
Atlanta, or through Macon to Atlanta or Montgomery via Columbus.
Thus if the North takes Charleston, Chattanooga, and Mobile, the South
is cut into 3 parts. Chattanooga and either of the other 2 will cut
the South into 2 parts. This is not enough to win, but it will
definitely hurt the South.
Rivers don't help the South much, since the only ones of any length
run north and south. In fact, other than the Mississippi system, only
the Chattahoochie is more than a few hexsides long, and it doesn't
connect any place significant.
All this means there are, except for seaborne attacks, only two
avenues of approach for either side. In the east, down through
Virginia, and in the west, along the Mississippi and a band about 6
hexes wide on its eastern bank. The South has very little chance of
moving north, and none at all of doing so and staying in supply.
REPLAY
I played the game solitaire.
Turn 0 (Setup)
The South gets 13 SP and Lee, which can be placed anywhere in the
South, except in the Union-sympathetic area in the Appalachians, and
in Fortress Monroe and Fort Pickens, which are occupied by the
Yankees.
One SP was placed in New Orleans, one in Mobile, one outside Fort
Sumter (they aren't allowed to setup inside, which I think is silly),
and one in Norfolk. Out west, one SP was placed in Memphis, one one
the east bank of the Mississippi where Missouri, Tennessee, and
Arkansas meet, one between the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers just
inside Tennessee, one in Nashville, and one southeast of Chattanooga.
In Virginia, 3 SP were placed in Manassas, and one, along with Lee,
in Richmond.
The Yankees get 18 SP. Three were placed in Missouri, just across the
river from Cairo, 3 in Cairo, 1 across the river from Louisville, 1 in
Cincinnattie, 1 in DC, and the rest in Arlington. The Yankees also
get one USMRR each in Cairo, Cincinnatti, and DC, and 3 naval points
off the Jersey shore.
Turn 1 (Summer '61, attrition)
Confederates
There are no reinforcements for either side on turn 1.
Attrition hit the Confederates hard; they lost 5 of their 13 SP. The
SPs in New Orleans, outside Chattanooga, at Sumter, and in Richmond
were lost, as well as 1 SP in Manassas.
The command control level is 3 (this will only be noted when it
changes). Only the force in Mobile, and the two on the rivers in the
West, as well as Lee, who has no army, were active. Lee moved to
Norfolk (Here is a potential rule ambiguity. Leaders left alone due
to combat displace to the nearest friendly force, but Lee was left
alone due to attrition. Should he also have displaced?). The other
forces all built forts.
Yankees
Attrition killed the SP in Cincinnatti, and 3 of the 9 in Arlington.
The command control level is 5. No Yankee forces are active.
The USMRR unit (not subject to command control) in Cincinnatti started
converting the B&O in West Virginia, and the one in DC headed west
from Point of Rocks, converting the B&O to Harpers Ferry.
The rules are not clear whether the USMRR can trigger the state
militia, but I assumed it does, and the Virginia militia appeared in
Richmond, which was unoccupied due to attrition.
The naval units moved to the south edge of the map, heading eventually
to New Orleans.
Although the garrisons in Pickens and Monroe were unsupplied, they
survived by foraging.
After turn 1
Losses
This turn Cumulative
South: 5 5
North: 4 4
Turn 2 (Autumn '61; attrition)
Confederates
For reinforcements, 1 SP appeared each in Richmond, Wilmington,
Charleston, Chattanooga, Decatur, New Orleans, and Texas. The
Confederates get 7 SP in reinforcements each turn. Each SP appears in
a specific hex (Texas only) or city, or in one of two or three cities.
Only one SP was lost to attrition: the one in Memphis.
The Confederates did well with command control, too. Only the forces
in New Orleans, Memphis, and Richmond were inactive.
The SP in Decatur moved to the fort on the Mississippi (which I'll
call Island No. 10). The force in Charleston mpoved into Sumter. The
Texans move, partly by rail, to Knoxville. Lee moved to Richmond.
The other forces built forts, if they didn't have one already.
Yankees
Northern land reinforcements are the same every turn: 6 SP in DC, 3 in
Cincinnatti, and 2 in Cairo. Naval reinforcements arrive every other
turn, and are variable. This turn, 3 naval points (NP), 1 riverine
point (RP), and Farragut arrive near Asbury Park (or maybe it's
Manasquan).
Attrition got the SP across the Ohio from Louisville, 1 SP in
Cincinnatti, and the garrison of Fortress Monroe.
Only 2 forces lost their command control die rolls. Unfortunately,
these were the forces in DC and Arlington. In other words, the entire
army in the East. So it will not be possible to reinforce Fortress
Monroe.
The force in Cincinnatti split, 1 SP going to the spot opposite
Louisville, the other building a fort. Four SP from Cairo, plus the 3
in Missouri, crossed the river into Tennessee to attack Island
No. 10. The Tennessee militia appeared in Memphis.
The two USMRR units in West Virginia continued converting the B&O.
Only Wheeling remains unconverted.
Farragut and his force moved to the south edge of the map off Florida,
while the other naval force moved to off Louisiana.
At Island No. 10, 7 SP attacked the 1 SP in the fort (tripled). The
differential was +4, voluntarily reduced to +1. Each side lost 1 SP.
As a result of the combat, a new Yankee leader was created (leader A),
who I'll call Grant, just for some historical color.
The Yankees now have the sealift to supply Fort Pickens.
After turn 2
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 1 6 1 1 7
North: 3 7 1 1 8
Leaders:
South: D 2 0 (Lee)
North: A 0 0 (Grant)
Turn 3 (Winter '62; no attrition)
Kentucky automatically joined the Union.
Confederates
Reinforcements in Richmond, Raleigh, Savannah, Decatur, Memphis, and
Texas.
The forces in New Orleans, Memphis, Savannah, Raleigh, and Manassas
were out of command control.
In the East, 1 SP from Richmond occupied Fortress Monroe. The rest of
the Richmond garrison built a fort. The forces in Decatur and
Knoxville built forts.
The SP in Chattanooga went to Nashville, 1 SP from Nashville went to
Fort Henry Donelson (what I'll call the fort between the Tennessee and
Cumberland Rivers), and the new Texans almost made it to Chattanooga
by rail.
Yankees
Only the forces in Cairo and across from Louisville are in command
control.
The 2 reinforcements from Cairo move to Grant's force. The force
across from Louisville built a fort. One USMRR unit returned to DC,
the other converted Wheeling, and then went to Across From
Louisville. (The third has stayed in Cairo.)
The 3 naval units entered the Mississippi. They tried, but failed, to
run past New Orleans. Farragut and his force moved to just outside
Louisiana.
After turn 3
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 0 6 0 1 7
North: 0 7 0 1 8
Leaders:
South: D 2 0 (Lee)
North: A 0 0 (Grant)
Turn 4 (Spring '62; no attrition)
Confederates
Reinforcements in Richmond, Raleigh, Charleston, Decatur, Nashville,
New Orleans, and Texas.
The forces in Texas, New Orleans, Nashville, Savannah, and Raleigh were
out of command control.
Lee took 2 SP from Richmond to inside the fort in Manassas.
Charleston built a fort. The Texans outside Chattanooga moved inside
the fort there. One SP from Decatur moved to Memphis.
Yankees
In addition to the normal reinforcements, the North got 1 riverine
unit in Cairo, and 1 naval unit off Jersey.
Grant and the force in Cairo were out of command control, as was the
force in Arlington. The DC force, however, can, for the first time in
the war, do something.
The Yankees have 7 spare (that is, not used to supply Fort Pickens)
sealift points. Up to now, they have had points, but no one was
active to use them. They used them to move 3 SP to near New Orleans.
One stack of 3 is in a swamp right next to the city, but the other
could only get to a clear hex one hex from the city. They will,
command control permitting, attack next turn.
In Kentucky, 6 SP from Across From Louisville move to just southwest
of Bowling Green, closely followed by a USMRR unit. The Confederate
Kentucky militia appeared in Nashville.
The naval reinforcement moved to the south edge of the map.
In Virginia, 12 SP from DC moved to Arlington. They attacked Lee in
Manassas. The defenders had 3 SP in a fort, plus 1 outside, for 10
SP, so the attack was at +2 differential. Each side lost 2 SP. Each
side also created a leader, and Lee got a point towards a promotion.
(I'm not entirely sure this is the right way to handle leaders and
losses. That is, I'm not sure it is okay to use 1 loss to create a
new leader while using another to help promote an existing leader.
The rules do not explicitly forbid it, though.) The leader counters
are B and E, so I'll call them Burnside and Early.
After turn 4
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 0 6 2 3 9
North: 0 7 2 3 10
Leaders:
South: D 2/1 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early)
North: A 0/0 (Grant); B 0/0 (Burnside)
Turn 5 (Summer '62; attrition)
Confederates
Reinforcements in Richmond, Raleigh, Charleston, Nashville, Decatur,
New Orleand, and Texas.
Attrition cost 1 SP in Fort Henry Donelson, 1 in Raleigh, and 1 in
Manassas.
Texas, Raleigh, and Decatur were out of command control.
1 SP moved from Nashville to Fort Henry Donelson. Leader E went by
rail from Virginia to Memphis. One SP went from Richmond to
Manassas. Lee went to Raleigh. An SP from Charleston went to
Manassas.
Memphis, New Orleans, Savannah, and Wilmington built forts.
Yankees
Attrition cost 2 SP from Grant's force, 2 from Cairo, 1 from
Cincinnatti, 4 from Arlington, and 1 from DC, for a total of 10.
The force right next to New Orleans, the force in Arlington, the force
in Cairo, and the force in Cincinnatti were without command control.
The active force near New Orleans, being too small to attack the city
by itself, even with naval support, moved to attack Mobile. The 3
naval points moved to support them. Farragut move next to the force
next to New Orleans, where he should have been before, so that his
leadership can help that force next turn. The naval force in the
river again failed to get past New Orleans.
The Bowling Green force moved to southeast of Nashville, cutting its
supplies. Then Grant moved to attack Fort Henry Donelson. The USMRR
unit retreated towards Louisville.
There are 10 sealift points, 4 used for supply, leaving 6 for naval
transport. Two SP landed near New Orleans, and 3 moved to Fort
Pickins, from which they will attack Pensacola this turn (since they
landed in a fort they can attack the same turn). The most recent
naval reinforcement moved to near Louisiana.
Grant attacked with 6 SP against 4 (1 tripled in the fort plus 1
outside), for a +2. Each side lost 1; the Confederates created a new
leader (the only Confederate leader I can think of is Forrest, and he
doesn't seem appropriate, so I'll just call him Johnston). Grant
gained a point towards promotion.
The force at Fort Pickens attacked Pensacola at +2. It took the city
at a cost of 1 SP. Three SP plus 3 NP attacked Mobile (1 SP in a
fort, tripled, plus the city strenth) at +2. Each side lost 2, so the
unit in the fort was eliminated, as was the city strength. The
Yankees lost 1 SP and 1 NP and took the city.
The Union created a new leader (C) in Mobile; I can't think of any Cs,
so I'll just call him Sherman.
After turn 5
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 3 9 2 5 14
North: 10 17 3 6 23
Naval: - - 1 1 1
Leaders:
South: D 2/1 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 0/0 (Johnston)
North: A 0/0 (Grant); B 0/1 (Burnside); C 0/0 (Sherman)
Turn 6 (Autumn '62; attrition)
Confederates
Reinforcements in Richmond, Raleigh, Savannah, Atlanta, Selma, New
Orleans, and Texas.
Attrition took 1 SP from Memphis, 2 from Nashville, 1 from Knoxville,
1 from Richmond, and 1 from Manassas.
The forces in Memphis, Fort Henry Donelson, Atlanta, Manassas, and
Norfolk were out of command control.
I badly miscalculated as the North, and the attempt to isolate
Nashville failed.
Lee and 2 SP from Raleigh went to Manassas and entered the fort there.
The other SP in Raleigh went to New Berne. One SP from Savannah went
to Montgomery. Two SP from Texas went to Memphis, using rail
movement, and the other went to Meridian. An SP from Decatur went to
Corinth. The SP in Selma built a fort.
Yankees
The regular land reinforcements, plus 1 RP and 1 NP off New Jersey.
Grant lost two SP to attrition, as did the force near Nashville.
Burnside lost 3 SP, as did the DC garrison. That was 3 6s and 2 5s
out of 11 rolls.
Except for the troops near New Orleans, and those in Cairo, all Yankee
troops are out of command control.
Five of the North's 12 sealift points are needed for supply, but since
the DC garrison is useless this turn, the sealift points were used to
transfer a USMRR unit from DC to Mobile (they don't need command
control). The one from near Louisville moved to DC, and the one in
Cairo started south, and converted 3 railroad hexes, cutting off
Nashville from Memphis.
Four SP from Cairo joined Grant.
New Orleans is now too strong to attack, so 2 SP went to Mobile, and
the other 3 stayed in place to attack the port of Proctorville.
The naval reinforcements moved south. The 3 NP outside New Orleans
finally ran the batteries there, and those at Baton Rouge and Natchez,
and got as far as Vicksburg. One NP moved into the Chattahoochie,
cutting off Florida. The other 2 NP moved next to New Orleans.
Farragut and 1 RP moved to between Mobile and Pensacola, to use his
leadership in both places next turn.
Three SP attacked Proctorville at +2, voluntarily reduced to +1. The
attacker lost nothing, and the city fell.
After turn 6
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 6 15 0 5 20
North: 10 27 0 6 33
Naval: - - 0 1 1
Leaders:
South: D 2/1 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 0/0 (Johnston)
North: A 0/0 (Grant); B 0/1 (Burnside); C 0/0 (Sherman)
The situation at the beginning of turn 7, Winter '63:
Confederates:
New Orleans: 3 SP in a fort
Meridian: 1 SP Selma: 1 SP in a fort
Montgomery: 1 SP
Memphis: Leader E (who I'm calling Early), 5 SP, and
a fort
Between the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers: Leader F (Johnston), 1
SP, and a fort (which I'm calling Fort Henry Donelson)
Nashville: 2 SP and a fort
Corinth: 1 SP
Decatur: 1 SP in a fort
Chattanooga: 1 SP in a fort
Knoxville: an empty fort
Atlanta: 1 SP
Savannah: 1 SP in a fort
Charleston: 1 SP in a fort
Fort Sumter: 1 SP
Wilmington: 1 SP in a fort
New Berne: 1 SP
Norfolk: 1 SP in a fort
Fortress Monroe: 1 SP
Richmond: 1 SP in a fort
Manassas: Leader D (Lee), 4 SP, and a fort
Yankees:
Proctorville (near New Orleans): 3 SP
Mobile: Leader C (Sherman), 4 SP, 1 USMRR
Pensacola: 2 SP
Fort Pickens: 1 SP
Cairo: 1 SP in a fort
Midway between Memphis and Nashville: 1 USMRR
Outside Fort Henry Donelson: Leader A (Grant), 7 SP
SE of Nashville: 4 SP
Across from Louisville: 1 SP in a fort
Cincinnati: 6 SP and a fort
DC: 4 SP, 1 USMRR, and a fort
Arlington: Leader B (Burnside), 9 SP
On the Mississippi at Cairo: 1 RP (riverine point)
On the Mississippi at Vicksburg: 3 NP (naval points)
On the Mississippi at New Orleans: 2 NP
On the coast between Mobile and Pensacola: Farragut, 1 RP
On the Chattahoochie near Tallahassee: 1 NP
Off the coast of Florida: 1 NP, 1 RP
Turn 7 (Winter '64; no attrition)
Both sides' command control rating improves this turn.
Confederates:
Reinforcements at Richmond, Raleigh, Augusta, Chattanooga, Decatur,
Jackson, and Texas.
The forces at Texas, Memphis, Fort Henry Donelson, Meridian, Atlanta,
Corinth, and Raleigh are out of command control. In all command
control phases, I don't bother rolling if I don't plan to use a
force.
The forces at Fort Henry Donelson and Nashville are in supply, but
only barely.
The force at Jackson moved next door to Vicksburg. The reinforcements
that arrived at Decatur and Chattanooga moved to surround the Yankee
force outside Nashville. It was a very bad mistake to put that force
there. They are probably doomed due to being out of supply. The
reinforcement at Augusta and 1 SP from Richmond moved to Manassas.
The forces at Montgomery and New Berne built forts.
Yankees:
No naval reinforcements this turn, just the usual land reinforcements.
As usual, the Yankees suffer atrociously in command control: all
forces on the Gulf, Grant, Cincinnati, and DC are out of command
control.
The 4 SP outside Nashville are out of supply.
The 3 NP at Vicksburg ran the batteries there, went to Memphis, and
partly ran the batteries there. The 2 NP near New Orleans tried to
run those batteries, but failed. The 2 naval units off Florida moved
to off Louisiana. The riverine unit at Cairo moved up the Tennessee
to Paducah.
The USMRR unit in the west converted another rail hex, and then moved
north. It can't do any more now because of ZOCs.
Two SP from Cairo joined Grant. The force in Arlington is too small
to attack Manassas, so it moved to DC.
The 4 SP outside Nashville attacked the 2 SP putting them out of
supply at +0, because they are halved for being out of supply. Each
side lost 1 SP.
The force outside Nashville is eliminated for being out of supply.
After turn 7
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 0 15 1 6 21
North: 3 30 1 7 37
Naval: - - 0 1 1
Leaders:
South: D 2/1 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 0/0 (Johnston)
North: A 0/0 (Grant); B 0/1 (Burnside); C 0/0 (Sherman)
Turn 8 (Spring '63; no attrition)
Confederates:
Reinforcements at Richmond, Raleigh, Augusta, Nashville, Decatur,
Jackson, and Texas. The Yankees are doing so badly because of command
control problems that the Confederates are running out of unit
counters.
Forces in Texas, Meridian, Memphis, and Nashville were the only ones
out of command control. Memphis is doing as badly as the Yankees in
this regard.
The SP left over from putting the Yankee force outside Nashville out
of supply moved to Fort Henry Donelson. The SP at Raleigh, Atlanta,
and Augusta moved to Montgomery, planning an offensive against the
Yankees on the Gulf coast.
Forts got built in Vicksburg, Jackson, and Corinth.
Yankees:
In addition to the usual land reinforcements, they Yankees got an NP
off Jersey and an RP in Cairo.
A relatively good turn for command control: only Grant and Pensacola
were out of command control.
Five out of this turn's 15 sealift points were needed for supplying
the forces on the Gulf coast.
Since the Confederate unit in Corinth was now in a fort, it lost its
ZOC, so the western USMRR unit could convert the rail lines all the
way down to that city. It then ran back to Cairo.
On the Gulf coast, Sherman and 4 SP moved north to Meridian, where
they used the double-match option against the city and its garrison.
The garrison retreated, and Sherman attacked the city at a reduced
differential of +1. The Yankees lost an SP, and the city fell.
Sherman gained a promotion point for the city. Sherman stopped in
Meridian, which gives him lots of choices for next turn. The USMRR
unit in Mobile moved up the rail line to Meridian.
The 3 SP in Proctorville went by sea to Mobile. The NP and RP off
Louisiana moved to between Pensacola and Fort Pickens, where they can
help defend in case of a Southern offensive in that direction. The 2
NP near New Orleans again failed to run the batteries there.
The new RP at Cairo moved down the river a little bit. The new NP
moved to off Florida.
The force at Cincinnati, with 11 SP moved to attack Fort Henry
Donelson.
Six SP from DC moved by sea: 3 on either side of Moorehead City (one in
a swamp). Burnside and 18 SP from DC moved next to Manassas.
At Fort Henry Donelson, 11 SP attacked across the river against 2 SP
in the fort. Thed differential was thus +3 (2 tripled plus 2 for the
river). Each side lost 2 SP, the fort was destroyed, and Johnston
skedaddled to Nashville. The Yankee force advanced after combat.
Since the attackers were next to Grant, he gains two promotion points.
Johnston also got a promotion point, despite his army having been
destroyed.
At Masassas 18 Yankee SP attacked 5 Southern SP in a fort plus 1
outside, for 18:16 or +2. Each side lost 1 SP, and Burnside and Lee
each got a promotion point.
Sherman attacked out of Meridian at a reduced differential of +1.
Each side lost 1 SP (this eliminated the Southern force), and Sherman
got a promotion point.
After turn 8
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 0 15 4 10 25
North: 0 30 4 11 42
Naval: - - 0 1 1
Leaders:
South: D 2/2 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 0/1 (Johnston)
North: A 0/2 (Grant); B 0/2 (Burnside); C 0/2 (Sherman)
Destroyed Southern Supply Cities:
Mobile, Pensacola, Meridian
Turn 9 (Summer '63; attrition)
Confederates:
Reinforcements at Richmond, Wilmington, Augusta, Nashville, Selma,
Jackson, and Texas.
Attrition: 1 SP in New Orleans, 2 at Nashville, 1 at Wilmington, 1 at
Norfolk, and 1 at Richmond.
Only Texas was out of command control.
One SP from Jackson, 1 from Selma, and 4 from Montgomery moved to
attack Sherman at Meridian. An SP from Richmond moved to replace the
Norfolk garrison. The SP at Augusta moved to New Berne.
Early and 3 SP moved from Memphis to Corinth.
The Confederates attacked Sherman with a reduced differential of +2.
The Confederates lost 2 SP and Sherman 1. The Confederates created a
new leader, G, who I'll call Bragg. Sherman does not get any
promotion points because he was defending.
Yankees:
Only land reinforcements.
Attrition: 1 SP at Fort Pickens, 2 at Cairo, 1 from the force that
took Fort Henry Donelson, 2 at Cincinnati, 1 from one force outside
Moorehead City, and 3 from Arlington, for a total of 10.
(Semi) good luck at last for command control. Only the 2 forces at
Moorehead City are out of command control.
Six sealift points out of 16 were needed for supply.
The force at Pensacola split: 1 SP went to Fort Pickens to replace the
garrison, and the other built a fort. One SP in Mobile built a fort,
while the other 2 joined Sherman, who retreated from Mississippi and
moved to Alabama, to a point equidistant (approximately) from Selma
and Montgomery. From here he also threatens Columbus. Meanwhile, the
USMRR unit moved back to Mobile, crossed the river, and moved up the
line towards Montgomery, converting along the way.
Grant, along with 2 SP from Cairo, moved to attack Memphis. The force
that had taken Fort H. D. moved to attack Nashville. Cairo's USMRR
unit converted rails all the way to Memphis. An SP from Cincinnati
went to the spot across from Louisville.
In the east, 6 SP moved by sea from DC to Pensacola and joined
Sherman. Burnside and his force at Arlington built a fort. Lee's
force is too big to attack this turn. The USMRR unit in DC moved to
near Louisville.
The naval unit off Florida moved north to Moorehead City. The two
near New Orleans got part way past the batteries. Other naval units
shifted their positions a bit.
Grant attacked Memphis with 11 SP. Memphis had 2 SP in a fort, plus
the city's intrinsic defense, for a total of 7. The attack was
resolved at +4. Grant lost 2 SP, and the Confederates 1. Grant got a
promotion point and a promotion.
At Nashville, the attack was 8 to 5 or +3. Each side lost 2. The
Confederates took their loss as 1 SP plus the city. This leaves 1 SP
in the fort. Johnston got a promotion point.
After turn 9
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 6 21 4 14 35
North: 10 40 5 16 57
Naval: - - 0 1 1
Leaders:
South: D 2/2 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 0/2 (Johnston); G 0/0 (Bragg)
North: A 1/0 (Grant); B 0/2 (Burnside); C 0/2 (Sherman)
Destroyed Southern Supply Cities:
Mobile, Pensacola, Meridian
Turn 10 (Autumn '63; attrition)
Confederates:
Reinforcements: Richmond, Wilmington, Augusta, Nashville, Decatur,
Memphis, and Texas.
Attrition: 2 from Texas, 1 at Jackson, 1 at New Orleans, 1 at
Montgomery, 1 at Memphis, 1 at Decatur, 1 at Wilmington, and 2 at
Manassas, for a total of 10.
Command control: Memphis, Decatur, and Meridian were out of command
control.
The 1 SP at Augusta moved to Montgomery to replace the garrison lost
to attrition. An SP from Richmond went to Manassas. One of the
Texans replaced the lost garrison of Jackson, while the other joined
Bragg outside Meridian, An SP from New Berne went, partly by rail, to
Wilmington, which is a more important city.
Yankees:
In addition to the land reinforcements, the Yankees get 1 NP and 1 RP
off the Jersey Shore.
Attrition: 2 from Grant's force, 1 from Across from Louisville, 1 from
Cincinnati, 1 from next to Moorehead City, 2 from DC, and 1 from
Arlington, for a total of 8.
Command control: Cairo, and everything in the East was out of command
control.
The naval reinforcements went to Moorehead City. One day the North
may be able to attack it.
Two SP from Cincinnati moved, party by rail, to reinforce the troops
outside Nashville.
Sherman and 9 SP moved on Montgomery. He attacked in a double-match
at +4. Each side lost 2 (the defender should have lost 3, but he
didn't have that many), and the city fell. Sherman got 2 promotion
points, and a promotion. Sherman then finished his movement by moving
next to Columbus. He did not have enough movement points left to
double-match attack.
The USMRR in Alabama converted 3 hexes towards Montgomery. The one in
Tennessee converted some lines towards Nashville.
In the combat phase, Sherman attacked Columbus. This called forth the
Georgia militia, who stopped eating their goober peas long enough to
aid in the defense of that city. Sherman had 7 SP, the defenders 1,
plus 1 for the city, plus 2 for being across a river, for a total of
4. This gives a +3 differential. Each side lost 2, the city fell,
and Sherman got another promotion point.
This made me realize that I had forgotten to activate the North
Caroline, Mississippi and Alabama militias. To compensate, I added 1
to Moorehead City, 1 SP to Bragg's force (now in Alabama), and 1 to
Memphis.
Next Grant attacked Memphis with 7 SP against 2 SP in a fort plus the
city, which also adds up to 7. But 3 naval points joined in, giving a
+3 differential. Grant lost 1 SP and 1 NP, and Memphis lost 1 SP.
Grant got a promotion point.
At Nashville 8 SP attacked 2 in the fort (the city strength had been
destroyed earlier), for a +2. The North lost 2 SP and the South 1.
Johnston got a promotion point and a promotion.
After turn 10
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 10 31 4 18 49
North: 8 48 7 23 72
Naval: - - 1 2 2
Leaders:
South: D 2/2 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 1/0 (Johnston); G 0/0 (Bragg)
North: A 1/1 (Grant); B 0/2 (Burnside); C 1/2 (Sherman)
Destroyed Southern Supply Cities:
Mobile, Pensacola, Meridian, Montgomery, Columbus
Turn 11 (Winter '64; no attrition)
Units in forts now have a Primary ZOC. Both sides' command control
improves.
Confederates:
Reinforcements: Richmond, Raleigh, Augusta, Nashville, Selma, Memphis,
and Texas.
Command control: Jackson, Decatur, and Nashville were out of command
control.
Bragg moved to just south of Montgomery, overrunning the USMRR unit
(which returned to DC), and cutting off Sherman from supplies. The
Texas reinforcements moved to Jackson. The Augusta reinforcements
moved to Atlanta. Early and 2 SP moved from Corinth to Memphis. The
Raleigh reinforcements moved by rail to Macon. Moorehead City built a
fort.
Yankees:
Only the normal land reinforcements.
Command control: Good luck this turn. Only the force outside
Nashville and 1 SP at Moorehead City are out of command control.
Four sealift points were needed for supply, leaving 13 available for
transport.
Grant moved from Memphis to Corinth, where 4 SP from Cairo joined
him. Two SP from Cincinnati moved by rail to reinforce the Nashville
force, while another reinforced Grant.
Sherman, out of supply, moved from Columbus to attack Atlanta.
One SP from DC moved by sea to the mouth of the Chattahoochie, so that
that river can supply Sherman. This is a requirement I had not
noticed before. Two other SP move to reinforce the Moorehead City
attackers. Five SP and the USMRR moved to Mobile.
Sherman is now back in supply, so he attacked Atlanta with 5 SP. The
defenders have 1 SP and the city, so the differential is +3. The
string of lousy die rolls continued (virtually all have been 3 or
less, this time it was a 1), and Sherman lost 2 SP and the
Confederates 1. They lost the SP, and Sherman got a promotion point
and a promotion.
At Corinth, Grant attacked with 11 SP against 2 SP in a fort plus the
city, giving a +4. Another 1 was rolled, and Grant lost 2 SP, and the
city point was destroyed. Grant got a promotion point.
At Moorehead City, 3 SP and 2 NP attacked 1 SP in a fort plus the
city, for 5:4 or +1. Each side lost an SP, the South taking theirs as
the city point.
After turn 11
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 0 31 1 19 50
North: 0 48 5 28 77
Naval: - - 1 2 2
The above table does not include city defense points lost.
Leaders:
South: D 2/2 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 1/0 (Johnston); G 0/0 (Bragg)
North: A 1/2 (Grant); B 0/2 (Burnside); C 2/0 (Sherman)
Destroyed Southern Supply Cities:
Mobile, Pensacola, Meridian, Montgomery, Columbus
Destroyed City Defense Strengths:
Nashville, Corinth, Moorehead City
Turn 12 (Spring '64; no attrition)
Confederates:
Reinforcements: Richmond, Raleigh, Augusta, Atlanta, Decatur, Memphis,
and Texas.
Command control: Everybody in command control.
Bragg moved against Sherman, pinning him between himself and Atlanta.
He launched a double-match attack at +3. He lost 2 SP and Sherman
lost 1. He gained a promotion point.
The reinforcements from Memphis and Decatur went to Corinth. The
Texas reinforcement went to Meridian, as did the one from Jackson.
The Raleigh reinforcement went to New Berne, while the one from
Augusta went to the Florida rail terminus on the Chattahoochie, with
the idea of building a fort and keeping the Yankees from using the
river for supply. The Richmond reinforcement went to Manassas.
Atlanta and Macon built forts.
In the combat phase, Bragg attacked again, this time at +2. He lost 2
SP, and Sherman lost 1. Bragg got another promotion point.
Yankees:
Normal reinforcements, plus an RP at Cairo and an NP off Jersey.
Command control: Grant, Sherman, Cairo, DC, and 2 SP at Moorehead City
are out of command control.
Seven out of 19 sealift points were needed for supply.
Five SP from Mobile march on Meridian, and launch a double-match
attack at +3. The attackers lose 2 SP and both defending SP are
eliminated (the CRT called for 3, but they didn't have that many).
The attacker then moved west to Jackson. The USMRR unit at Mobile
moved up to Meridian, and then converted one rail hex to the east and
two to the west.
The two naval units at Memphis failed to run the batteries there.
Farragut didn't quite make it to Moorehead City (he should have been
there a long time ago). The riverine unit that had been at Moorehead
City moved to Florida (half a movement point short of making it to the
Gulf).
The 3 SP at Cincinnati moved by rail to reinforce the Nashville force.
The SP in Florida moved to attack the Confederate SP on the river, and
was joined by an NP from Pensacola.
They attacked at +1, again rolling a 1, and the attacking SP was lost,
while no Confederates were lost.
At Nashville, 11 SP attacked 2 in a fort at +5. Two attackers were
lost and all the defenders, and the city fell. Finally. Johnston
displaced to Decatur.
At Moorehead City, 3 SP and 2 NP attacked 1 SP in a fort at +2. A 5
was rolled (when a 1 would have been sufficient), and each side lost 2
SP (according to the CRT; the defenders only had 1 to lose). The city
fell at last: the Yankees landed there a mere 18 months ago.
At the end of the turn, Sherman and his 1 remaining SP died from lack
of supplies.
After turn 12
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 0 31 9 28 59
North: 1 49 10 38 88
Naval: - - 0 2 2
The above table does not include city defense points lost.
Leaders:
South: D 2/2 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 1/0 (Johnston); G 0/2 (Bragg)
North: A 1/2 (Grant); B 0/2 (Burnside); C 2/0 (Sherman)
Destroyed Southern Supply Cities:
Mobile, Pensacola, Meridian, Montgomery, Columbus, Nashville,
Moorehead City
Destroyed City Defense Strengths:
Nashville, Corinth, Moorehead City
Turn 13 (Summer '64; attrition)
The end of this turn is election time up north. If the Confederates
have a supply net worth 40 or more points, McClellan will win the
election and the war will end.
Confederates:
Reinforcements: Richmond, Wilmington, Charleston, Atlanta, Decatur,
Jackson, and Texas.
Attrition: 1 SP in Jackson, 1 in Selma, 1 with Bragg, 1 in Macon, 2 in
Memphis, 2 in Corinth, 1 in Charleston, 1 in Richmond, and 2 in
Manassas, for a total of 12. A very bad year.
Command control: Chattanooga, Bragg, and the force on the
Chattahoochie in Florida were out of command control.
Johnston and 1 SP from Decatur reinforced Corinth. The Texas
reinforcements reinforced Jackson. One SP from Wilmington moved to
into Charleston, while an SP from Atlanta did the moved to Macon.
Yankees:
Normal land reinforcements.
Attrition: 1 SP at Pensacola, 3 SP from Grant, 2 at Nashville, 2 at
Cincinnati, 3 at Arlington, and 1 at DC, for a total of 12.
Command control: Everybody except the forces in Arlington and DC are
out of command control. Typical. Forty percent should have been OCC,
while 77% of the mobile forces failed their die rolls.
Four sealift points were needed for supply, leaving 16 for transport.
USMRR units in the west converted the rails near Nashville. The USMRR
in Mississippi returned to Mobile, so that it can move by sea to North
Carolina, if the game continues.
Three SP moved by sea to cut off Norfolk (worth 2 supply points). One
replaced the garrison of Pensacola. Nine more moved to Moorehead
City, then next to New Berne. They don't have the strength to
double-match.
Farragut and 1 RP moved next to Moorehead City, and 3 NP moved next to
New Berne.
Burnside and 6 SP moved into DC.
At New Berne, 9 SP and 3 NP attacked 2 SP in a fort plus the city, for
+5. A 5 was rolled, so each side lost 3: 2 SP and 1 NP for the North,
and 2 SP and the city point for the South. The city fell.
After turn 13
Losses
Attrition Combat
This turn Cumulative This turn Cumulative Total
South: 14 45 0 28 73
North: 12 61 0 38 100
Naval: - - 0 2 2
The above table does not include city defense points lost.
Leaders:
South: D 2/2 (Lee); E 0/0 (Early); F 1/0 (Johnston); G 0/2 (Bragg)
North: A 1/2 (Grant); B 0/2 (Burnside); C 2/0 (Sherman)
Destroyed Southern Supply Cities:
Mobile, Pensacola, Meridian, Montgomery, Columbus, Nashville,
Moorehead City, New Berne
Destroyed City Defense Strengths:
Corinth
Here is the largest Southern supply net at the end of turn 13:
Richmond 4
Raleigh 1
Wilmington 2
Savannah 5
Charleston 5
Columbia 3
Augusta 5
Knoxville 3
Atlanta 6
Macon 2
Chattanooga 3
Decatur 1
Total 40
So the South got exactly the minimum they need to win, Lincoln lost
the election, and the war ended with Southern independence.
COMMENTS
While I don't think I played a great game for either side, I think the
biggest factor in the Northern loss was lots of terrible command
control die rolls, and lots of bad combat die rolls. Of course, it is
only too easy to blame luck for one's own failings, but look at the
last turn: 77% of Union mobile forces (that is, forces other than fort
garrisons) could not move. The Union forces that landed at Moorehead
City had to wait 5 turns before they could attack. There was only 1 6
rolled on the CRT, and only 2 or 3 5s (higher numbers are better for
attackers, and the South rarely attacked). And Fortress Monroe was
lost when its garrison was lost to attrition on the same turn that the
only possible source of reinforcements was out of command control. If
it sounds like I'm whining, I am.
I want to like this game, I really do, but it has some serious
problems. Take attrition. I think having attrition in pre-20th
century games is a very good idea, because sickness and accidents were
a very serious source of losses. The problem is with the
implementation, and the problem with the implementation is that the
size of the forces is so small that when attrition losses occur they
are disproportionate in particular cases. Overall, things may even
out, but it is too easy to lose a third, a half, or all of a force to
attrition. I'm not sure that that every happened, at least in this
war. But did happen in the game, and in the case of the loss of the
Fortress Monroe garrison on the same turn as DC was out of command
control, it might have decided the entire war, since it meant that
Richmond could only be approached overland.
This problem could have been avoided if all the forces had been
multiplied by 10, for instance, so that what is in the actual game a
force of 1 SP could lose a reasonable fraction of its strength without
being exterminated. But that would have required a lot more counters,
which would have increased production costs.
I think there is a simple solution to the elimination of 1 SP forces
by attrition: just make 1 SP forces immune to attrition. Of, if that
is too extreme, allow the player to take the loss from another force.
Command control is another problem with the game. Not in principle,
but again in application. (I'm assuming that the player is not using
the original hex-number based table, which involves far too much
totally artificial gamesmanship.) Specifically, I think it is too
extreme to not let forces out of command control do anything at all
(except, presumably, eat and sleep). An out-of-command-control (OOCC)
force that is out of supply won't even have the sense to try to get
into supply.
I would allow OOCC forces to fortify, move by sea or rail, or move
with half their movement allowance. (OOCC) I would not let them attack, or
enter a Primary ZOC, or enter a Secondary ZOC unless they do so by
leaving a Primary ZOC, or move adjacent to an enemy-occupied fort or
an enemy city with an intact defense strength.
I would also, or alternately, give forces in or next to DC or Richmond
a better command control rating (perhaps as if a leader of rank 1 were
present).
As for an alternative to the hex-number-based system, I rolled a
10-sided die for each force, with a result of 1 through the current
command control level plus 1, inclusive, meaning that the force was
out of command control (adjusting for leaders, of course). Next time
I will slightly modify that, and allow all forces under the influence
of a particular leader to use a single die roll, so that they are all
either in or out of command control. After all, if Grant can get one
corps off its collective butt this turn, he should be able to get them
all going.
Supply is another serious problem. Quite simply, the supply rules
prevent some things that happened in the real war from happenig in the
game. Lee can't invade the north without losing his entire force to
supply attrition. Chattanooga can only be attacked from the east
without the surviving attackers also being eliminated due to lack of
supply. Sherman's march to the sea is also impossible.
I don't think there a simple fix to this. One thing that would help
would be to allow foraging to take place in a zone of control, but
this wouldn't help much.
Amphibious operations are a problem, too. Even with perfect command
control, an amphibious attack takes 3 turns or 9 months: 1 turn to
move to a port, 1 to move by sea, and 1 to attack. But as we saw with
the attack on Moorehead City, one seldom gets perfect command control.
That particular operation took a year and a half to take the city.
That, I think, is unreasonable.
My fix would be to allow land movement before embarking, and to allow
an attack on the turn of landing. Or perhaps allow just two of the
three steps in a single turn.
CONCLUSION
Even with these problems, I think the game is a pretty good
simulation. Some of the problems are inherent in any simulation at
this level. For instance, more turns would solve some problems, but
that would mean a monster game, which is not what this is. Or a
thirty-page rule book would solve some other problems, but again, that
would be a different level of game.
The game does capture the strategic realities facing both sides, and
the victory conditions are what they should be. That is the basic
test of a wargame.
--
T.M. Sommers -- tmsommers2@gmail.com -- ab2sb
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